9 Types of Azaleas to Grow in Your Garden

Azaleas are also known as the “Royalty of the Garden” is an excellent first choice when it comes to choosing plants for landscaping. Azaleas have been selectively bred for centuries, and thousands of cultivars have been developed from hundreds of species found throughout the world.

Sikkim is home to at least 36 endemic rhododendron species, which range from short, flowering shrubs to towering plants in a rainbow of colours and Mainaam Garden has been growing various varieties of azaleas and other plants for 25 years. While there are many varieties to select from, flower colour is the reason most people plant this shrub. Knowing these categories can help you choose azaleas for your garden.

Here are 9 azaleas to grow in your garden.

01. Bloom-a-thon red Azalea

This hardy azalea shrub with bright red blooms deserves a special place in your garden. Bloom-A-Thon® Red Azalea by Proven Winners ColorChoice is a brilliant evergreen enjoying five long months of its astonishing colour every year! This shrub blooms in early April and then again in early July. The bush is also semi-evergreen, which means that the leaves on the branches' outer edges last all year but drop in the winter.

It's ideal for mass plantings, a mixed border, or a single, specimen plant in your garden. This would look great in a container on your patio or front porch. Its improved evergreen variety is not only heat resistant but also disease resistant and easy to care for.

02. George L. Taber Azalea

George L. Taber Azalea is a southern Indica Hybrid Series selection rhododendron, featuring showy single blooms that single, bubblegum-pink blooms with white variegation. It grows best in organically rich, acidic soil with good drainage. This azalea has evergreen leaves, tolerance to coastal air, is easy to care for, attracts butterflies and can grow in filtered, partial shade, or full sun.

It blooms during the early spring growing season so plentifully making George Taber' azalea a favourite landscape shrub in the south. Plant George L. Taber Azaleas 3 to 4 feet apart from centre to centre for a mass planting or hedge. 

03. Mizuho No Kagami Azalea

The Japanese azalea hybrids like 'Mizuho No Kagami Azalea' are good plants for those who love long-lasting showy flowers. Unlike azalea hybrids, the leaves are lance-shaped to elliptic in shape and somewhat smaller, measuring 1/2 to 2 inches long, making it the magnificent Bonzai plant that it was meant to be. It’s a compact, low-growing evergreen azalea, which makes it perfect for the smaller garden.

This low maintenance shrub appears to be able to withstand slightly more sunlight than most azaleas, but this does not imply "hot" sun. Filtered light is still preferred. Also, use high and well-drained, acidic soil, rich with organic matter. However, water consistently to prevent the roots from drying out. This cultivar was bred between Rhododendron indicum and Rhododendron simsii.

04. Japonica Orange Dwarf Azalea

The showy electric orange blooms of the 'Japonica Orange Dwarf' Japanese azalea is certain to delight and add interest to any area where it is planted!. A sunny and partially shaded location with well-drained, light and acid soil will keep this evergreen shrub happy for many years. Unless you get a lot of rain, plan on watering at least once a week to keep the soil moist. And, to help protect the roots, mulch with leaf mould once a year, and deadhead as needed. This variety requires little pruning.

This dwarf orange Azalea will produce masses of brightly coloured blooms that simply smother the stems in April and May, growing to a manageable 75-100cm over the course of ten years. Suitable for growing in pots and containers.

05. Madonna Azalea

 The large double-white blooms of 'Madonna Azalea' will positively glow in the boring corners of your landscape. Glossy and rich green foliage on this Belgian Indica hybrid variety and heat, humidity tolerance of the azalea flowers is a bonus. These azaleas are ideal for hot, dry climates because they are bred to be compact and heat resistant. It prefers high and well-drained, acid soil, rich with organic matter just like any other azalea variety.

06. Barber's Purple Azalea

The 'Barber's Purple' azalea produces showy semi-double and bright purple-red flowers with a darker blotch from February to April that pop against a backdrop of green leaves, and the foliage remains deep green through the winter. The shrub has a dwarf size of (1-5 feet tall) in 10 years and typically doesn’t require much pruning. If you need to prune to shape the plant or remove dead portions, do so right after it’s done flowering. This type of azalea is upright and spreading and must have soil that’s acidic, moist, organic, rich and well-drained soil.

07. Goyet Azalea

Goyet Azalea is true elegant plants, varieties that have been cultivated perfectly for pots or as a low border plant and as a flowering carpet underneath trees. It has dark green foliage and masses of large, double, bright red frilly flowers that bloom in the spring and spot flowers in the autumn. These classic evergreen shrubs need a well-drained composted soil and perform best in acidic soils and for this reason, there is no need to add lime to your soil. 

With regular pruning to remove deadheads, these classic flowers maintain a compact growth habit. They are very hardy once established and flower profusely for months at a time. They are upright and has compact growth. Plant these beauties for colour contrast; they look especially lovely in traditional or cottage gardens. 

08. Alaska Azalea

Another class of outstanding flowering shrubs, Alaska Azalea features snow-white blooms with a distinctive chartreuse blotch on their throats. Blooming from late winter to early Spring.

A stunning white azalea that stands out against plants with red brick or dark green foliage. For elegant colour and neutral tones, add to the front yard foundation planting. Insert into the shaded edges of large canopy shade trees or against tree grove trunks. A must-have in Asian-inspired gardens, especially for the Japanese tea style. Some companion plants are Hydrangea; Rhododendron; Bleeding Heart (Dicentra); Camellia; Clethra; Japanese Maple (Acer)

09. Great Expectations Azalea

Finally, 'Great Expectations' Azalea is a hybrid shrub by Kehr, derived from crossing Anytime Tetra x nakaharai. In the garden, this azalea produces funnel-shaped flowers, wavy lobes, 3" across, double, strong reddish-orange with purplish-red dorsal botch in April. Expect to prune as needed after flowering in May. Water regularly to maintain evenly moist soil - weekly, or more often. 

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